Letters
by StarGazing03
Summary: Before moving, Matt wrote a letter to everyone in New Directions, these are the moments up to and including the letter themselves.
1. Mercedes

Mercedes

She never got to open her own mail. Growing up with two extremely nosy little brothers, meant that she had no chance to actually open and read her mail. Even things that are clearly hers get opened for her. So, as you can imagine, finding a crisp, unopened white envelope on the kitchen table with her name on it was actually a surprise. At first, she didn't look at the writing or even see anything other than the way it was still sealed with some sort of weird seal that she wasn't even going to guess how it was made. Then she saw the sort the familiar curled writing, only she couldn't remember where she had seen it before. There was no return address on it. No mark that if she didn't want to read it, it could be returned.

"What'd you have there, Mer?" Her mother asked her.

"Do you recognize this handwriting Mom?" She asked back, handing over the envelope.

Her mother spent several minutes looking it over, trying to figure out who it was. Finally, after a very tense silence, she said; "It must be one of Maggie's boys. There the only ones I know who write like this. It's been to long since I've seen any of their writing to actually be able to tell which one. Have you been writing Reggie again?" Reggie Ruthford was her mother's best friends oldest son, who despite having graduated college a year ago, still sometimes wrote her. Only lately, since he'd been living in France, so they'd been using e-mail to communicate.

"We've been e-mailing mom, nothing more. I sent him one design about a year ago, I think, but that's it." While she was saying this, she had been playing with the envelope and the seal had been broken just barely on the one side. She could now see "_I told you 'Cedes, Manilow is better."_

"Mama, you were right it was one of Aunt Maggie's. Only it wasn't Reggie, it must be Matt!"

"Mer, why would Matt be writing you? You see him almost every day in that club of yours." Her mother said, probably thinking that the letter was a love letter professing his undying love, or something equally foolish.

"Mom, didn't they just move? Anyway, he's not in the district anymore, since we have to find a replacement." She replied.

Then without another word, she turned and did a Rachel style walk out. Only, instead of protesting Mr. Shue giving a solo to someone other than her, she was simply trying to get away from her annoying mother.

She always loved her bedroom, as it was the second largest in the house, right behind her older brother's. Not only that, but it screamed her more than anything. The walls were a vibrant orange which matched the loud bedspread that was currently sort of covering her bed after she hastily made it this morning. In the corner was a simple desk which she sat down on and carefully broke the seal, which she now remembered that Matt's grandmother makes on all of their mail, regardless of who it's for. Turning the letter upside down, she saw two thing fall out; a single sheet of paper and a cd.

Aunt Maggie was easily one of the most old-fashioned people she knew. Within her house was one computer -which her children could only use for a certain amount of time or for school work- that was a bulky desktop that stayed in the kitchen. If her children wanted a laptop, they had to buy one themselves. She also raised her kids on cassettes. They were also the only people she knew who still had a record player. Often on weekends when they'd go to visit, one of the boys would turn it on and make her dance with them. It made sense that Matt would send a cd, considering the fact that he didn't have an IPod or anything to use instead.

Scanning the back of the cd, she found it to be a mix of stuff she liked and things that were favorites of Matt. Given the difference in musical tastes, it was a really weird playlist. Songs like "Single Ladies' were next to 'Stand By Me'. She couldn't neglect the letter any longer she had to know what it says.

_Hey 'Cedes,_

_ I'm sure you're wondering why I'm writing you. Well, I'm moving and I figured I'd write to say goodbye. Mum decided to move back to England to be closer to where dad had died and so that she can help take care of my grandparents. I decided to write to everyone in the club to tell them both what I think of them and just too well...Try to tell about me to. Considering the fact that I don't think half of them even know who I am. Hopefully you are someone who really does remember me since I've known of you as long as I've been alive. You might not believe that, but one of my first memories is of mum telling me about Aunt Tanya and her lovely daughter Mercedes. Which no, she'd always tell Dad, she is not named after his dream car. Before I met you back when we were six, I had crazy ideas about how you'd look. If you really want to know, I tried to draw it once back when I was four. (If you really want to see it e-mail Reg, he has it.) Then I met you and you were just as beautiful as I had imagined. No, I promised myself this wouldn't turn into a gushy love letter since I know at some point Aunt Tanya will read this and I'm sure she won't like it if I'm writing a love letter to her only daughter. _

_ Anyways, in Junior High, I did have a crush on you. Regardless of the fact that you were near the bottom of McKinley's strange social order, which, it turns out isn't the same at every school. I'm sorry; I'm sort of out of whack today. Anyway, I soon realized that I do love you, just not that way. You're like my sister. I want to call you my little sister, but you're older than me. _

_ I'm sorry that I didn't do anything with the bullying there. Truth is, I was scared. Scared that I'd end up like you, slushied and teased. I'm not as strong as you are, and defiantly not as brave. Eric and Reggie would have, I just couldn't do it. _

_ I'll call you once I'm settled._

_ With Love_

_ Matt._


	2. Rachel

**A/N: I just wanted to thank everyone who reviewed last time, I really do appreciate the support. This chapter was really hard to write, I couldn't get Rachel's voice right despite her being one of the characters to get the most screen time.**

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Rachel

For her to get mail wasn't unusual at all, in fact, she would often get letters from musical groups all over Ohio and (in her mind at least) constantly getting letters for Julliard. But never in her seventeen years of living, she has never gotten a letter handwritten. The handwriting was unfamiliar and curly. It was unaddressed leaving her with no clue who it could be from. Most likely given her position within the school, it was someone trying to hurt her even farther. Only upon further examination, it didn't look like something that any of the jocks could have done. She once had looked at all of the jocks handwriting, trying to figure out what each of them looked like. Most of them were a barely legible scrawl. the school

Actually, if she wasn't incorrect she probably still has them. They were up in her room under the sheet music from Evita that she had bought a while ago. Running up the main staircase of her Dads house trying to get up to her room as fast as she possible could. Her dad gave her a quizzical look as she charged up the steps. "Where are you going Rachel? Slow down and enjoy life for a second." Her dad lately had been very into that whole 'take time to smell the metaphorical roses' ideaogoly.

She rolled her eyes at him and said "I received an anonymous letter today and I'm trying to track down the person who wrote it. I was rushing upstairs to look if it is a joke from the Neanderthals who inhabit the school. I would rather not read more of what they believe about me."

"Just be careful sweetie." Her dad said noncommittally. He really didn't care that much about her, at least not in something like a letter.

Finally she got up to her room. Her room was probably the frilliest in town with a lacy bedspread and the hottest pink walls this side of the Mississippi River. In the center of the room was a desk with a keyboard set up nearby. After a few minutes of digging, she finally found the handwriting samples. Without a second glance at either the letter or the writing on the page, she eliminates half the football team and all of the hockey team. Then she decides it's not Mike's, his is too messy to be this mystery letter. Not Finn's, definitely.

After painstakingly looking through the rest she eventually decided it was either Anthony, a sort of friend of hers, or Jacob. Hoping that it was the first and not the second, (actually it would make more sense to be the first since Jacob actually admitted once that he doesn't even write on paper anymore) she opens the letter. It was clearly in backward as the first thing she saw was, _Your Friend, Matt_.

"Wait, why would Matt be writing to me?" She muttered to herself. It seemed odd, why would a jock -even one like Matt- who didn't ever actually do anything to her, send her a letter? Then she saw a cd case laying next to the letter with his unmistakable scribble on it. Scanning over the track list, she was amazed by the music on it. Some of it was musicals which he must have added for her sake, but some of it was oldies that must be his favorites. She was always known for being curious and this was no exception, she had to read the letter.

_Dear Rachel,_

_First off, I'm not sure if you remember me, I'm Matt, the quiet jock from glee. Now that you are probably going, "Okay, I know who this is," I'll get on with what I'm writing. The first reason was to say goodbye, I'm moving back to England so that Mum can be with my grandparents as they're getting older. Plus, that way it'll be sort of near where my dad died. Since I was always shy I figured writing a letter would do better to tell you about what I think about you, and so that you actually know a thing or two about me. Since I'm 99% sure you barely know who I am. _

_Let me say this first, at times, it was very easy to hate you. At times, you can be selfish, annoying, and manipulative. But I'm not going to spend an entire letter telling you what Kurt and Santana do every day, that'd be mean and despite those extremely negative qualities, I really do think of you as a dear friend. On the bright side, I also know that you are brave and kind. _

_Do me one favor will you? Don't listen to Finn, regardless of what he tells you, he really did sleep with Santana. He said it didn't mean anything, but I did hear him say that he did like it. I'm not telling you this to cause trouble; goodness knows you guys find it on your own. Even though I did know, he told me, or rather, he told me without him actually thinking I was listening. That's not the only thing; Finn's always been one to lie and to manipulate. When his status in school is in question, he's been known to do anything for it. _

_Lastly, I want to apologize for everything that happened to you while I was there. I know the slushies weren't fun and the names you were called. I'm amazed at just how strong you are. I wish now that I would have done something, but I just couldn't. I'm not anywhere as close to as brave as you are._

_I'm sorry._

_Your Friend,_

_Matt_


	3. Mike

Some of them were funny, some were sad, but all of them were honest.

Mike

When he got home from Asian Camp, he found a small stack of mail for him on the hutch where they kept the mail. It was larger, he noted with satisfaction, than Andrew's. Some of it was junk, credit card offers or random ads that his cousin always sent him. There was one humorous ad his cousin had clearly drawn trying to pretend that he was part of the Pepsi Group advertising a soda that his mother would never allow him to drink. On the very bottom was a letter, handwritten. He stared at it for a second, unlike other letters he'd gotten; this one was addressed in English, not Chinese that was crossed out and written shakily. Turning it over, he noticed it had a seal on it; it was actually a wax seal, a rarity in these times. Then he actually took the time to look at the words. Without a shadow of doubt he knew Matt had sent him the letter, the only question was why. Regardless of the fact that he wasn't one that technically obsessed as the kids that he had to deal with, but he didn't use any of that stuff while he was there so he didn't know why Matt might be sending him a letter. While he knew that Matt rarely, if ever, used his e-mail and he didn't have a Facebook.

"What do you have their Michael?" His father asked offhandedly.

Mike hesitated for a second he and his father weren't really weren't on the best of terms, "It's a letter from Matt." His father looked at him blankly for a moment causing Mike to further clarify with; "Matt, the one who doesn't really talk? He's been my friend since the second grade; dad and he practically lived here a few years ago! Where were you during that time? Oh, that right! You were away 'studying' in China to take the time to come home to see your sons!"

"Michael," his father began to explain, "This work was important! So what if I didn't call you every day? You should have been enough of a man to live without it. Don't yell at me for not knowing about your friend, it doesn't matter. Just like how right now, you're complaining self doesn't matter. Anyway you've been away from the house for over a month and you tell me about not being around!"

"That's not the same and you know it! I was helping out at a camp for tech-savy Asian kids and I thought you and mom agreed that I could go!"

"Michael, when I agreed to let you go to a camp, I thought it was a day camp and only for a week!"

By now, his dad was riled up with anger and just trying to justify what he had done. But Mike, used to arguing just to get heard. "Why, dad, would I have packed a bag with things for a day camp?"

"Michael..." He tried to start.

"No dad, it's not Michael. You always call me Michael. It's Mike. It's always been Mike. Or to the kids at school Other Asian!"

And then, he fulfilled a secret wish of his, to storm out in full Rachel Berry style. He quickly fled to his room. While most people's rooms probably reflected their own personality his was a copy of what his father wanted it to look like. His room was plain white color with a plain green blanket slung haphazardly on his bed. There was also a bookshelf which was the only part of the room that was actually his. It was a strange menagerie he did have a copy of the Bible, (he was a member of a Methodist church in the next town other) the rest were a mix of his favorites and required reading for school.

Flopping down on his bed, he carefully broke the seal, perhaps Tina would like to see it. Then he saw a cd cover entitled "Matt and Mike Ultimate Playlist" which only reinforced his belief that it was Matt who had written it. It had mostly hip-hop and dance music but occasionally there was an oldie that Matt was obsessed with. Finally, he decided to just read what Matt had to say to him.

_Mike,_

_First off, how was Asian Camp? I still can't believe that they exist. I honestly thought you were joking when you said that you were going but you went so they must be real. Knowing you, you're probably brooding right now about why I'm writing you a letter. You know that I don't really like to e-mail but I've never actually written you a letter. It isn't just you I'm writing to. Mum's moving us back to the town where dad died the day after tomorrow, (that's from when I'm writing this, all things considered, I'll probably be settled into Britain by then. I'm writing this to you just to say goodbye and thank you for being my best friend. For everyone else, I also told them something about myself and what I thought of them. _

_I just want to say, I know your dad isn't a very good guy and you don't have to put up with it. What he does is boderline emotional and mental abuse._

_I'll call you sometime soon._

_Your Best Friend/Worst Enemy,_

_Matt._

_P.S. Please do try to break out of your shell this year in glee, I have a feeling they won't tease you if you completely screw up. We only laughed at Rachel last year when she lost her voice because well,, It's Rachel, and her doing that terrible just had to be laughed at. Actually, she laughed at herself later with Finn and Puck. _

_P.P.S. I think that is the longest postscript I've ever written and that includes the great "I'm going to drink a liter of soda and then try to write a letter to my grandma" of '05._


	4. Brittany

Brittany

When she finally found her way out of the "sewers" she found a single letter that her parents had left on her desk. At first, she thought to just leave it there since it was probably just her parents writing again. She could see the letter in her mind; "_Dear Brittany, I know we promised we'd be home for the first day of school, but we decided to stay in Colorado for a few more months. Your father needs to relax, after all. I hope you stay in shape for your Aunt Sue and stay one of her best Cheerios. You don't want to shame the Pierce family after all. Love, Mom." _

Picking the letter up purely to see where her parents were this time she found; 34 North Cherry, Lima, Ohio. "Why would Mom and Dad be in Lima and not in our house? Unless I'm in the wrong house. No, this is my bedroom. This is my bed and I'm in all the pictures. But why are they in this house instead. I hope that they didn't forget. I'll just have to see."

But before she actually could open and read the letter she got distracted by her cat, Fishy. He was lying right next to her diary. "I told you Fishy, you can't read my diary. How would you like it if I found your diary and started reading it? You didn't read that section did you?" The cat in question didn't respond at all.

"Fishy, why aren't you answering me?" She asked staring at the cat.

She waited and waited for the cat to say something. At this point, she'd even take him denying that he did anything. The cat eventually stretched and yawned before jumping off the bed.

"Fishy! Get back here or else I'll tell Santa Paws that you've been a bad kitty this year." She warned completely serious.

The cat made no attempt to reply and simply walked out of the room only turning his head slightly before leaving with a look in his eyes that said clearly, "As if."

Now that her cat was gone, her attention turned back to the letter sitting unopened on her rounded desk. This time around she noticed that the handwriting was definitely not her mother's. Her mom's was all loopy and in what she at least thinks Santana calls "cursive". This letter had curly handwriting and wasn't addressed with "Sweetie" like her mother did. Without needing any other indicator, she tore open the envelope. A CD fell out and a single piece of paper fell out of the envelope when she turned it over. Ignoring the CD for the present time, she turned to the letter. She blinked a few times trying to get used to the way the words were written. Sometimes she thinks that English isn't her first language, given all the trouble she has with it. Once she starts though, it gets easier.

In fact, she was just about to start reading the second paragraph when she hears behind her; "What'd you got there, Sweetie?"

"Mom, I thought you weren't going to be home for school to start. Why are you here?"

"We couldn't get a plane directly to London, so we figured we could spend a couple hours at home." Her mother said and then doing a 180 degree turn walked out of her room."

"I might as well read this now."

_Brittany-_

_First off, no I am not part bobcat. I know you often said that last year but it's not true. I even asked my grandmother -who knows everything about the family- and nowhere in there is a bobcat. Now that I've (hopefully) cleared that up for you, let me get on with my letter. I'm writing this first, to say goodbye. When you start school, I won't be there, (for the first time and I think ever you'll have someone different as a locker partner). My mum is moving us across the ocean to England to live with my grandparents. _

_Yes, Brittany, I did give you my old address by mistake, do me a favor and throw the envelope away. I know you and Santana are best friends but please keep this secret from even her. When she gets a letter, -and trust me, she will- don't tell her immediately it's me. I want them to think about who it is before they open it. _

_By the way Brit, don't let the others stop you. Some of them, including me at times, will probably laugh at you. But in all honesty, that's part of the reason I like you. And to clarify, I like you as in you're a friend. Part of your charm is that what you say is so ridiculous that we can't help but like you. You definitely make glee a lot more interesting. By the way, you've convinced me on your dolphin's theory. Even though it's still sort of a weird idea. Then again, my brother managed to convince me that aliens took Elvis and he's still singing his extrememly annoying and cheesy songs on Mars. So I'm sort of fair game for weird theories._

_Your Friend,_

_Matt_


End file.
